System and method for power control for ASIC device

Abstract

A system and method for power control for ASIC device is disclosed. According to an embodiment, the present invention provides a system for adjusting power consumption of an ASIC device. The system includes a first buffer. The first buffer is configured to receive and store data. The system also includes a controller that is configured to generate a control signal. The controller is coupled to the first buffer. The system additionally includes a processing unit coupled to the first buffer. The processing unit includes a first power source and a second power source. The first power source is different from the second power source. The processing unit is configured to receive the control signal from the controller. Additionally, the system includes a second buffer coupled to the processing unit. The second buffer is configured to receive and store processed data.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims priority to Chinese Application No. 200610027590.2; filed on Jun. 12, 2006; commonly assigned, and of which is hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present invention is directed to integrated circuits. More particularly, the invention provides a power saving system and method for application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) devices. Merely by way of example, the invention has been applied to very large scale integration (VLSI) chips that include ASIC circuits. But it would be recognized that the invention has a much broader range of applicability.[0003]Integrated circuits or “ICs” have evolved from a handful of interconnected devices fabricated on a single chip of silicon to millions of devices. Current ICs provide performance and complexity far beyond what was originally imagined. In order to achieve improvements in complexity and circuit density (i.e., the numb...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0013]It is to be appreciated that the present invention provides an improved system and method for providing power for ASIC devices. According to certain embodiments, the present invention reduces power consumption and improves power efficiency for ASIC devices. Depending upon application, the present invention also provides better flexibility for power control and implementation.

[0014]The present invention provides various advantages. Some embodiments of the present invention provide a system and method for reducing power consumption. Depending upon application, the present lowers power consumption and prolongs battery usage for portable devices that utilize ASIC devices. For certain applications, the present invention lowers heat dissipation by adjusting power used by ASIC devices. For example, low power is used when ASIC devices is not busy. Certain embodiments of the present invention utilize a controller to provide control signal for adjusting the operation power of ASIC devices.

Problems solved by technology

An IC fabrication facility can cost hundreds of millions, or even billions, of dollars.

Making devices smaller is very challenging, as a given process, device layout, and / or system design often work down to only a certain feature size.

Excessive power consumption is typically an undesirable characteristic.

Excessive power consumption not only causes high energy costs, but also can generate a significant amount of heat that adversely affects device performance and even damages device components if proper protective measures are not adopted.

Unfortunately, conventional techniques such as the DVP system are often inadequate.

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